The Dillinger Escape Plan
One Of Us Is The Killer

Although I have never completely despised it, I have always considered the metalcore scene to be rather simplistic and not very open to experimentation of any kind. Then I listened to The Dillinger Escape Plan. The band takes its name from the criminal John Dillinger and I had my first experience with this band with the wonderful "Irony Is A Dead Scene," which, for those who don't know, was recorded with the monstrous Mike Patton on vocals (Fantomas, Faith No More, Tomahawk, Mr. Bungle, and many other cool and worth-listening-to groups). Subsequently, I got "Calculating Infinity" and then all of their other (master)works.

The thing that struck me the most about this band is the fact that, unlike most bands of the genre, they have always been able to expand their horizons by incorporating elements from techno music, jazz, and industrial, for example. Moreover, every member of the band knows how to play their instrument fantastically well, and it will not be rare to find yourself facing impossible odd times which, as a bassist and trombonist(!), I assure you are absolutely not easy. Combine all this with a compositional creativity that has allowed the group to receive very positive reviews, to broaden their fan base, and to acquire a sort of cult following around their name.

Their latest album, One Of Us Is The Killer, has received very positive reviews, so I had decided to buy it. However, I was puzzled by some opinions that considered it more accessible and less experimental than the band's previous works. Bullshit. The aforementioned album is a concentrate of violence and experimentation that, at least from my point of view, surpasses even that of the previous albums, and the few quieter tracks (the title track, for example) are haunting and discordant, which makes them even more violent, if possible. "Prancer" is wonderful, starting with delirious guitars (almost comparable to early Korn) and then venturing into more jazz-like territories, especially during the guitar solo and the drum breakdown. "When I Lost My Bet," on the other hand, is dominated by Puciato's screams and is one of my favorite songs by the band; it manages to be destructive thanks to drums and guitars that intertwine, seeming like one entity, and maintaining absurd tempos. You then move to the already mentioned and wonderful title track which starts very calmly and reaches peaks of high tension in the chorus: "Now one of us must die." Goosebumps.

The album is full of high moments besides those already mentioned, but I strongly recommend the instrumental "CH 375 268 277 ARS" where the mathcore masters demonstrate a command of their instruments second to none, "Understanding Decay" which is tainted by every possible genre (industrial above all) and where Puciato gives us one of his best vocal performances ever, and "Paranoia Shield" (a rather apt name), a song that finds its highest point in the guitarists' performances and in the brief interlude with trumpet and horn (?!). In short, a great album and, from my point of view, the band's best.